Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Karachi ready to fall?

* TTP warns Altaf to end 'kingdom' in Karachi* Militant action across country if Swat operation not stopped

By Hasbanullah Khan

KHAR: The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) warned Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain on Tuesday to "immediately end his kingdom in Karachi", saying the time was ripe for the Taliban to gain control of the city.

"This is a warning for Altaf Hussain to cease his statements against the Taliban and end his kingdom in Karachi, otherwise we will launch attacks against the MQM and its leaders once we are given the go-ahead by Baitullah Mehsud," TTP chief Maulana Faqeer Muhammad and spokesman Maulvi Umar told a joint press conference at Inayat Kalay. According to Online, Umar boasted that the Taliban had 'massive' support of Karachi's residents and Mehsud could take control of the city whenever he wanted to.

The spokesmen said the TTP was "prepared to wage jihad to counter United States and NATO forces in the Tribal Areas" and had established anti-aircraft "missile systems" along the Pak-Afghan border for this purpose.

Militant action: The TTP spokesmen also warned that they would instigate militant action across the country if the government did not stop the ongoing military operation in Swat and continued to pursue a military option in the Tribal Areas.

Umar said that, on the directives of Baitullah Mehsud, the TTP had convened special meetings of Taliban commanders to design a strategy against the government if the military operations continued. He said that the organisation had given a "positive response" to the government's proposals for peace. However, he added, neither the federal nor the provincial government had stood by their promises to continue dialogue with the Taliban to maintain law and order. Umar said that the TTP had established a special squad, comprised of a large number of male and female suicide bombers aged between 10 and 20, to target top government officials.